Family launches fundraising drive after popular and caring 20-year-old Amy Vigus dies suddenly

THE heartbroken family of a 20-year-old woman who died after taking a substance she believed was party drug MDNA is raising cash for the hospital which tried to save her life.

Amy Vigus died at Colchester General Hospital's intensive care unit on Monday having returned home from a weekend away in London.

Popular Amy's family are now raising money for the Turner Road hospital as well as warning of the dangers of taking drugs.

A four-minute video released today which tells her story has been viewed more than two million times.

It contains a voiceover which urges people not to take drugs.

The voice states Amy, who lived in Rudkin Road, Colchester had left her home last Friday to go to the Elrow Town music festival, in Queen Elizbeth Park, but "in a moment of madness", she took the mystery drug.

Viewers are then told how Amy's body rejected the drug.

The voice adds: "This led to her being violently sick and fitting multiple times.

"Our Amy managed to make it home where she collapsed one more time.

"Her parents were left with no option but to perform CPR on their own daughter in their own home.

"Amy was taken to Colchester General Hospital and immediately escorted to resuscitation.

"She was taken to the intensive care unit. She was very very unwell.

"Our Amy fell into a coma. She lay there, hair in, eyelashes out, glitter in her hair but no smile on her face.

"She lay there motionless and seemingly peaceful.

"The corridors of Colchester General Hospital echoed with the cries and screams of her family members".

The video ends urging viewers to avoid taking drugs.

It adds: "She will never know the pain she has caused.

"The next time you're in that moment please stop and think about our Amy and the consequences of her mistake on herself and her family she has left behind."

A post in a Facebook group dedicated to Amy read: "Thank you all so much for watching and sharing the video explaining what happened to Amy Vigus.

"We have created a funding page to help give back to Colchester General Hospital, who did everything they could to save Amy's life.

"They are amazing and we couldn't thank them enough for all their efforts."

A relative, who asked not to be named, said: "The video was made with the intention of spreading
awareness, but I didn't think it would gather so much momentum and touch as many hearts as it has.

"The comments that it's received and the messages that we've received
from mothers, fathers, siblings - it's been really something else for
people to be so in touch with Amy's story and wanting to spread that
message.

"I think it's really, really touched everyone in the family and the
well-wishers and the kind words have really, really meant a lot."

He added: "I can't express to you enough how fantastic Colchester
General Hospital were in the intensive care unit and the resuscitation
unit.

"Every member of staff was an absolute hero. They worked so hard in
Amy's final hours to save her."

He said the video was originally made to explain what had happened, but
became a means of celebrating Amy's life and warning others of the
dangers of repeating her actions.

He added: "It was very challenging for us to do that, but at the same
time to spread that message and try to make something positive during
one of our darkest times, I think was worth the experience."

An Essex Police spokesman said: "Police were called following the death of a woman in Colchester.

"A 20 year-old woman died in hospital on Monday, August 21 having collapsed at home.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."

Already more than £2,500 has been rasied - dwarfing the family's original £500 target.

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